Winter City

The Silver Skate Festival has been a hidden gem in the city for years, and thanks to social media, this event finally receives the attention it deserves. Even in winter city, it’s hard to have an annual winter event last 27 years. In fact, it is the oldest running winter festival in the city. No other winter festival in Edmonton brings together drama, art, sports, fire, ice, and fun like Silver Skate. The 2017 festival…

Ice On Whyte is Edmonton’s premier winter festival and hosts the only International Ice Carving Competition in the city. This year, the competition was moved up a day so that visitors can enjoy completed sculptures both Saturday and Sunday. Instead of completing Saturday at noon, competitions on both weekends will be completed Saturday at noon. After last year’s successful change in days of operation opening Thursdays through Sundays, the Ice On Whyte Festival returns this…

The Flying Canoe Festival is a definite Yegventures pick for winter festivals to attend. It’s only in its 5th year, but it exceeded all expectations as being hands-down the most ‘Canadian’ festival in Edmonton. The Francophone-Metis influenced festival has its setting in Mill Creek Ravine and the French Quarter. La Cite in the French Quarter is one of two sites of the festival. Sleigh rides bring visitors to the ravine site where illuminating artist installations,…

For at least the last three years, the Muttart Conservatory has opened their Lunar New Year show with a bang – literally. A fireworks show along with a day full of performances welcomed in the New Year. The exhibit itself was grand, with countless red lanterns lighting up the dark long evenings of Edmonton winters. The 2017 celebration of Year of the Rooster at Muttart Conservatory will be on February 4, 2017 from 4-8pm. Fireworks will…

One of Edmonton’s newer winter festivals, Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival, is certainly one which will warm you to the Byzantine quite quickly. Here’s a video recap of the earliest Edmonton winter festival on the calendar year. It returns to Alberta Avenue January 14 – 15, 2017. 118th Ave will be closed from 90st to 94st for the duration of the festival. Here’s a map and a schedule of events.

Yegventures has had the opportunity to view the Edmonton New Years Fireworks from Above for the last 6 years. The newest 2017 edition is now posted. Note in 2012, the fireworks were actually launched from behind City Hall. Since the construction of the Royal Alberta Museum, they have since been launched from on top of the Stanley Milner Library over Churchill Square. For the 2017 New Year’s Eve, there were two shows, one at 8:30pm for the…

When one spends a quarter of their adult life behind a window pane, even unobstructed views of nature are sometimes seen as just another wall of the office cubicle, especially in winter. Fortunately in Edmonton, our long winter nights, coupled with a low solar angle, means that city dwellers have the opportunity to view long colourful sunrises on the commute to work and school. Having a perch with a million dollar view and starting work…

Leduc Country Lights is the biggest outdoor light up event in the Edmonton region outside the Alberta Legislature grounds. It’s bigger than ever this year both donations to the Leduc Food Bank and visitors are up. Truly the ultimate winter wonderland. Please obey signs and stay on designated paths to keep this tradition going! To get here, head West at Leduc Common (Exit 517) from QE2, turn left on Range Road 260. Keep driving til…

Don’t miss the light up of the most extensive Christmas light display in the city. It MAY be the first time Rachel Notley will take the honour of launching this Alberta holiday tradition which began in 1985. 2016 Celebrate the Season (Dec 2-23, 2016, light up Dec 1) The December 2nd event will begin Celebrate The Season, a 3 week long festivity (Dec 2-23, 2016) at the Alberta Legislature featuring daily performances by choirs across the…

Here’s an enlightening history of lights on the Edmonton skyline. While ATB Lights was a one time even (for now), it continues three decades of Edmonton’s experimentation with light to brighten up the city. After all, the city at latitude 53 does get up to 17 hours of evening darkness in the winter. Here’s an enlightening history of lights on the Edmonton skyline. Last week, Edmonton’s skyline had a unique lights show when ATB Place was lit…